


On The Wrong Path

by Smokeygirl27



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, struggles with morality
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-17
Updated: 2016-02-09
Packaged: 2018-05-14 10:06:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5739574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smokeygirl27/pseuds/Smokeygirl27
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rey never comes across BB-8, yet she still gets captured by the First Order. Right and wrong are subjective and she is sucked in by the dark side</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Well, that's just great

“One Quarter Portion.” The large blob of a man sneered from behind the safety of the glass.

Rey narrowed her eyes and snatched the small packet from the counter. She turned away from him as she stuffed it into her bag. She would not give him the satisfaction of knowing she was disappointed in such little payment for her day's work. She gathered her net and trudged through the sand towards her speeder. She began the process of reattaching the net to the side of her speeder so she could go home and eat something.

“Put your hands above your head and turn around slowly.” Someone barked behind her.

She turned and stared down the barrel of a blaster held up by a figure in white armor. She slowly lifted her hands over her head and stared at them. He motioned for her to move away from the speeder and walk back into the settlement. She obeyed, it was not as if she had much of a choice. Not many could withstand a point blank gunshot to the face, and she rather liked having one.

As she marched back she could see other Stormtroopers forcing everyone else into a line. Rey grew worried. A thousand possibilities ran through her mind and none of them ended well for her. If she ran she would be killed, if she joined the line, she would be killed. She could not believe this was how it was going to end.

She stood between two scraggly men and watched in horror as they were all appraised by a masked man dressed all in black. She could not help but think he must be close to sun stroke in all that dark fabric. He turned away from the line and lifted a hand to one of the stormtroopers.

“Fire.” The trooper barked.

“No!” Rey cried and closed her eyes not wanting the last thing she saw to be a blaster bolt.

She waited for the searing pain to rip through her, but it never came. She could hear the other’s cries of pain and their fall to the sand, but the pain never came. She dared to open her eyes. To say she was startled to see the blaster bolt just hanging in the air just inches from her chest would be a gross understatement. Her knees gave out from under her and she fell to the hot sand, shaken and confused. As soon as her knees hit the sand the bolt rocketed over her head and off into the great tan yonder.

She could feel all eyes on her but she did not look up. She was to scared to care. Her mind raced for an explanation for what had just happened. Deep down she knew she had stopped the bolt but for the life of her she could not figure out how she had done it. The man in black had turned to regard the girl who had managed to escape the firing squad. Rey wrapped her arms around her as her adrenaline levels crashed. She had to fight the tears, tears were weakness. She could not afford to fall apart.

“Seize the girl.” The man in black said and continued back to his ship.

Rey felt herself being dragged to her feet. She was to shaken to fight the two stormtroopers, she was just thankful to be alive. They dragged her onto the transport shuttle and into a small detention cell barely big enough for her to sit. She rocked back and forth in her seat as she rubbed her arms, trying to calm down. Time seemed to drag on as she felt the shuttle shake around her. She had no idea what they were going to do to her, but she knew it could not have been good. The longer she was alone the greater her fears and anxiety grew. She closed her eyes and willed herself to hide her fear under a mask of anger. It had served her well in the past.

After what seemed like days the door opened and she was ushered out. A stormtrooper bound her wrists in metal cuffs and nudged her down the corridor. Goosebumps dotted her skin from the coldness of the structure. She had finally managed to steel her resolve, so she held her head high as they marched.

One of the troopers opened another door and motioned for her to enter. The room was bigger than the previous one she had been held in. It had room enough for a small cot and a toilet hung on the wall. She sat down on the cot and watched as the door shut behind her. She stared down at her bound wrists and frowned. There was no way she would be able to escape this place. She did not look up when she heard the door open again and someone walked in.

“I must admit, I am impressed you were able to stop a shot from one of our weapons.” Kylo Ren said staring down at her.

She said nothing, choosing to look up at him without moving anything but her eyes. She quickly had to avert her eyes again, uncomfortable under the gaze of his emotionless mask.

“What do you want with me?” She finally dared to ask. “I’m just a nobody from Jukku.”

“A nobody.” He chuckled. “A nobody would not be as strong in the force as you are.”

“I-”

“You need a teacher.” He said simply.

“A teacher.” She almost laughed looking back at him. “What makes you think I want to learn.”

He held out his hand, his fingers curled towards his palms. She could feel a presence creeping into her mind. She tensed and tried to turn the presence out. She was not doing so well.

“You are scared and alone.” He said simply. “A little girl waiting hopelessly for the return of those she knows deep in her heart will not come.”

“Is insulting me supposed to make me want to join you?” She spat, glaring at him.

“You need not be alone anymore.” He said. “Allow me to teach you the ways of the force and you will never be alone again.”

“Why would I agree to follow a faceless monster?” She asked him.

He seemed to mull her words over in his mind. She did not expect him to actually remove his helmet. She felt her face burn as she stared into his brown eyes. He smirked as she was rendered speechless.

“You have one hour to decide.” He said. “Choose wisely.”

He put his helmet back on and left her alone with her thoughts. A trooper slipped into the room and removed her cuffs, then marched out without a word. She sighed and pulled the blanket off the cot and wrapped it around her shoulders to fight the cold. What did she have to lose by agreeing to be his student? There really was nothing left for her on the desert planet after all. The pros of staying were leaning greatly towards stay. Hell, just the promise of regular meals was a strong pull. In the end, it was his eyes that made her really consider being his student. His eyes held a great sadness behind them. She believed him when he said she would not have to be alone anymore. She made up her mind and she waited for Kylo Ren to return.

He entered exactly one hour after he had left and stood in front of her, hands behind his back.

“Have you decided little scavenger?” He asked her, a hint of amusement coloring his tone..

“I’ll be your student.” She said not looking at him as she remembered his face.

And what might I call my new student?” He asked pleased.

“Rey.” She said without really thinking.

“Rey.” He said, mulling her name over. “Your training will begin in the morning. I will have a droid show you to your quarters so you might clean up and rest 

The droid wandered in shortly after he left. It chirped for her to follow. She rose from the cot, the blanket still wrapped around her shoulders, and followed it through the maze of corridors. After what seemed like hours of walking it stopped in front of a door and extended its data probe to a panel by the door. The door opened and Rey peeked inside the room. The droid rolled into the room and spun around waiting for her to enter. She padded in and stood in the room unsure of her next move. The droid began to chirp about where she would be able to find towels and it would bring her a change of clothes and food.

“Thank you.” She nodded and padded to the small bathroom as the droid left.

She began to disrobe carefully as she tried to figure out how to work the shower. When she finally managed to figure it out, her shower was short. She ran her fingers through her hair to remove the worst of the tangles and scrubbed off most of the dirt caked onto her skin. She stepped out of the shower and felt a bit wasteful blotting herself down with a towel and just throwing it down the laundry shoot. Years in the desert made her wary of wasting water.

The droid was waiting for her with fresh clothes. The dark tunic it had brought her was was to big for her tiny frame so she had to belt it around her waist. The pants thankfully were of the drawstring variety so size was not an issue there. She went to pull her hair in her usual three buns at the back of her head but she paused. Somehow it no longer seemed right for her to continue to style her hair that way anymore. Instead she tied her hair into a simple knot, it was her first small step on her new path. She new bigger changes were on the horizon for her, but she didn’t know quite how to feel about them.

The food she was brought was more than she had seen in so long. It was merely a simple stew and yellow roll of bread, but she ate it like someone would try and steal the bowl from her. The droid waited patiently for her to finish her meal before taking her dirty dishes and chirping it would return in nine hours to deliver her to her training session with Kylo Ren.

“Thank you.” She said and pressed herself against the wall her new bed was pushed against.

She held her knees to her chest and watched the room carefully. She had no idea how she was going to get to sleep in such a cold environment. She almost missed her desert nights. Almost. 


	2. Appraisal

Rey was roused from her sleep by the droid from the night before. She had fallen asleep sitting up in her cot having given into exhaustion rather than drift peacefully into sleep. She stretched her sore muscles and scooted off the mattress. Rey tried to remember all the turns they made as they walked towards her unknown destination, but her mind went blank when she saw her teacher. He was facing away from her inspecting a rack of weapons in front of him. He picked out two practice swords and turned to face her. She found herself a bit disappointed that she was met with his mask.

“Your training will begin with an appraisal of your latent skills.” He said holding out one of the swords.

She padded over to him and took the sword in her hands. She stared down at it as she took a few steps away from him. He moved, bringing the sword down in a wide arch. She yelped and blocked his blow as if she were holding her staff. He tsked. She kicked him in the shin and pushed upward with all her might.She twisted to hit him in his stupid face, but being unused to such a short reach she missed. He had moved his head back to avoid her blow and she could almost feel his smirk. Now she was annoyed.

“That is not the proper way to hold a sword.” he almost teased.

“Force of habit.” She said, her annoyance fading. “I mostly used a staff if I had to fight on Jakku.”

“We will adjust accordingly tomorrow.” He said. “For now, why don't you try using the sword as it was intended.”

She found herself fighting the urge to stick her tongue out at him playfully. That urge was not appropriate. She nodded and matched his stance. He struck again and she blocked clumsily. He effortlessly twisted his blade sending her’s flying across the room. She grunted and turned to retrieve it.

“Stop.” He said quietly.

She looked over her shoulder at him and furrowed her brows confused.

“Try and call your weapon back to you. Reach out with the Force and will it to your hand.” He instructed.

She nodded and squinted at the practice weapon. She reached out her hand and tried to will the sword to fly towards her. All she managed was to cause it to slowly skitter across the floor to her feet. She glowered at it.

“Very good for a first attempt.” Kylo Ren said. “Pick up your weapon and prepare for my attack.”

They continued to spare for a few more hours. Each time they crossed blades he would quickly disarm her then make her try and call her weapon back to her hand. Each time she struggled to call upon the force like she had back on Jakku. The more she failed the more frustrated she grew with herself. Her teacher, however, seemed unfazed by her lack of skill.

“That will be all for today.” He said.

“But, we have done nothing.” She pouted, disappointed in herself.

“Mastering the Force takes time. You have already done better than most who first begin training.”

“If you say so.”

“Return to your room.” He said. “Food will be brought to you. I have matters to attend to.”

“Right.” She said spinning on her heels, only to turn back around. “How do I get there?”

He remained silent for a long moment. She could feel the amusement rolling off of him.

“Follow the corridor five doors down,” He said pointing to the door. “Then take the first left. Four more doors down and a right your room will be on your left.”

“Ah. Thank you.” She said nodding and beginning to wander off.

Never had Kylo Ren been more thankful for his mask. He kept finding himself grinning at her like a fool as they spared. She had been so close he could count every freckle that dotted her nose and cheeks. Her determination was far too endearing. He had to keep control over himself, he was going to have to tread carefully around her. He turned to the weapons rack and returned the practice blades to their designated locations. He did not need General Hux sniping at him for making a mess of the training room. The only reason Hux hadn't been felled by Kylo Ren's hand was the fact his master had use for the man.

For Rey’s next lesson he was going to need to requisition a Stormtrooper for her to spar so he could watch her hands. If she preferred a staff, he was going to need to see just where her hands ended up in a fight for the time she crafted her own weapon. There was no need for her to end up losing a hand when the time came for her to fully serve The First Order.  
He turned and marched out the opposite door. He was going to need to check on the status of the droid and his prisoner. He pushed any possible warm thoughts he might have once held for the rebel to the back of his mind. He walked briskly to the holding cells and could tell that something was amiss. There was far more personal running around then there needed to be if everything was going well.

“Status report.” He barked at a random underling.

“Sir, the rebel has escaped.” The lower level technician said trying to hide his fear.

“And how might he have done that?” Kylo Ren asked annoyed but seemingly unfazed by this news.

 

“It appears as if Stormtrooper FN-2187 helped him.”

How could he have been so stupid. He had felt the hesitation in the solider during the raid on the camp the night before, yet he had done nothing. He pulled his light-saber and began to lash out at the console next to him. Once his anger subsided her turned back to the technician.

“Anything else you would like to report?”

“N-no sir!”

“Have steps been taken to stop them from finding the droid?”

“Yes sir.”

“You are dismissed.” Kylo Ren said waving his hand.

The technician tried his damned hardest not to run away. Kylo Ren could feel his fear and almost savored it. He deactivated his saber and clipped it back on his belt as he walked away from the long slashes of molten metal he had created. He was a failure to Supreme Leader Snoke, just another weapon to be used against him by Hux. He could not even manage to keep a single prisoner locked away without something going wrong. He had to collect his composure before he returned to the bridge. He began to angrily walk the length of his ship, his thoughts a dark swarm of anger and disappointment.

He stumbled across Rey staring down at Jakku from one of the large windows. She had been distracted from her journey back to her room by the view of the stars from space. He remained silent as he watched her, the light reflecting off the planet lighting her face. He had no idea how long he had been watching her, but is must have been a while. She noticed his presence and looked over at him, her lips parted ever so slightly.

“What are we looking for on Jakku?” She asked pointing out the window. “I just saw five ships head down there rather quickly.”

“We are looking for a droid which has a key to the location of the number one enemy of the first Order.” He said finding himself the storm of his emotions calming in her presence.

“Is the Droid fully functional?” She asked. “Because, I know several scavengers who would jump at the chance to get their hands on the parts of a working droid.”

“As far as I am aware it is.” He said moving to stand next to her. “Would you be able to provide names and locations of these scavengers.”

“With pleasure.” She said, her nose wrinking. “Where was the last place the droid was seen?”

“In a settlement about one hundred miles south from where we found you.”

“That narrows it down.” She thought out loud. “There are a few that come to mind who have claimed that territory. Your best bet would be to find Teedo. He lives about fifteen miles away from the scrap camp. He might still be sniffing around Unkar’s, but with his death he is going to need to find a new scrap dealer.”

“Do you know of any other scrap dealers on the planet?” He asked her.

“I’m sorry.” She said looking down at her feet. “Unkar was the only one I ever went to.”

“Your information will be most helpful in narrowing our search.” He said turning to return to the bridge.

Rey could not help but feel pleased with herself. She knew that was as close to a 'thank you' she would be getting and that made her oddly happy. She turned back to the window and smiled down at Jakku. It was sort of beautiful from this far away. She left the window and hummed as she continued to her room. Waiting in her room was the droid who had been taking care of her, a tray of food resting on its level head. Rey smiled at it.

“Hello again.” She beamed. “Sorry I have been so rude these last few times. I’m Rey, what should I call you?”

The droid chirped and whistled at her as she took the tray and sat down on her cot cross legged.

“QT-314.” She confirmed, her smile growing. “That’s a good name for you.”

She scooped up the white mush with two fingers and brought them to her mouth. QT-314 whistled at her in annoyance.

“Utensils?” She asked furrowing her brow.

QT-314 extended its data probe to point at the spoon next to her mashed potatoes. She picked it up and studied the dull metal in her hand.

“Sorry,” She said sheepishly. “I haven't had to use one of these in so long. There was never any need for me to use one. I mostly survived on water bread.”

She scooped a huge glob of potato in her spoon and shoveled it in her mouth. She did not stop to savor the flavor or texture of her food. After having to eat the same thing for the last decade it was a habit not to acknowledge that food had a taste. Whatever food she could find she ate, never really knowing when her next meal would be.

QT-314 took her tray and scooted out of the room leaving her alone with her thoughts and a few basic reading materials. All of the reading materials bored her. She found herself switching from one to the next, then returning to one she had abandoned previously. She really wished she had something to work on. Something to build or dismantle. Her hands itched for something to do.  
To her surprise the droid came back within a few hours, free of food. It chirped for her to follow. Happy to have something other to do than sit in her small room and lose sanity she followed. QT-314 lead her farther into the ship than she had been before. The droid pulled into a small room and waited for her to follow.

Rey stepped onto the elevator and watched as the doors closed behind her. She did not like the feeling of ascending so quickly without any point of reference. At least with her speeder she knew how fast she was going but looking at the dunes whipping past. When the doors opened she was glad to be free. She followed QT-314 through a set of grand doors that looked important. She felt her heart flutter when she saw Kylo Ren’s cloaked back. He was talking to an angry man with hair as red as a flame. The angry man only stopped yelling when QT-314 whistled. They turned and looked at the droid, then at Rey. She immediately felt self conscious.

“So this is the scavenger you picked up.” The angry man sneered. “To bad the droid still managed to get away.”

Rey’s heart fell. She had failed to prove helpful and now they were going to get rid of her. She felt her cheeks burn as anger and fear filled her. She instantly disliked the red haired man. She would have glared at him but that would mean having to see Kylo Ren's disapproving mask. She hated herself for feeling so nervous around her teacher. She had always had to be strong, so that she would not be screwed over ever again. Jakku was a planet where the weak were destroyed and the strong survived. She had had to shove all her pain down into the darkest depths of her soul so only anger remained. But, around her teacher she felt disarmed and did not know how to act. She wanted to be valuable so he could not discard her like so many had before.

“I’m sorry my information was unhelpful.” Rey said pulling at her pinkie finger as she stared at the floor.

“You’re information was helpful.” Kylo Ren reassured her, and she felt her heart leap. “We were just not fast enough to act upon it. There was a traitor on one of our ships along with a rebel pilot. The traitor knows our methods and tactics. Hopefully, General Hux will train his soldiers better in the future.”

The angry man turned as red has his hair.

“My men are top notch.”

“It appears your men are top notch as committing treason.” Kylo Ren retorted. “Come Rey.”

He walked past her to the door. Rey hesitated before following after him, not before shooting General Hux a dark look. Kylo Ren walked straight for the elevator and she nervously stood next to him.

“You did very well.” He said as the doors closed and they descended. “Without your information we would still be searching for the droid on the planet. Now we can begin to refocus our efforts on the... rebellion.”

“Oh, thank you.” She said staring straight ahead. “Am I able to go to the training room on my own? I’m just not much of a reader and that seems to be the only thing to do in my free time and I would much rather do something more… hands on.”

“As long as you do not get lost.” He said lightly, almost laughing.

“That’s good.” She said, feeling the heat rising up her face as the doors opened.. “Well, see you tomorrow for training.”

She had to walk away briskly to hide her embarrassment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes... I named the droid 'Cutie-Pie'. Was it not established that I am a dork?


	3. Fighting a Storm-trooper. What could go wrong?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey gets to spar with a storm-trooper....

She had tried to sleep in her cot but the mattress was far to soft for her. She ended up curling on the floor under her blanket. She awoke to the sound of alarmed whistling and chirping. She pulled the blanket away from her face and peeked up at QT-314.

“Morning already?” She asked.

QT-314 chattered at her as she stretched the sleep from her muscles. The droid nudged her toward the shower. Rey frowned, it seemed like such a waste of perfectly good water to take another shower just one day after her last one. On Jakku she had only cleaned herself once a month and that was only due to her cycle. That had always been enough in her mind. Then again, almost everyone she encountered smelled worse than her on a good day.

She gave into the droid’s needling and just stood under the spray of water. The water helped to warm her. She dreaded having to step out of the shower and feel the chill of the air on her bare skin. QT-314 had collected her clothes and left her a fresh set. This time she would be wearing a better fitting tunic, but it was still loose on her.

When she left her room, she knew exactly where to go without QT-314 having to guide her. Her eyes lit up when she saw her old weapon resting on the rack with the swords. She practically ran over to pick it up.She was so happy to have something familiar in her hands she did not notice the two other people in the room

Kylo Ren had to stifle his amusement at her delight.

“Since you prefer the staff I will have you spar with this Storm-trooper.” He said.

The trooper stood at attention.

“Ah, hello.” She said, the trooper only nodding at her in response.

“Take up arms.” Kylo Ren barked.

The trooper selected the first blade on the rack closest to him. He had practiced with all of these weapons a million times before. All of them could become an extension of himself at the drop of a hat. He held his weapon in front of him ready to attack. Rey held her staff, more confident with this weapon than any other.

“Begin.”

The trooper charged her and she blocked his attack. She kicked him in his armor-plated shin. He was unfazed. She was going to have to make a mental note that everyone had guarded shins on this ship. He pulled back to attack her again. She dodged his swing and jabbed at the joints in the armor plating covering his side. He swung out with his sword, but she was to far away for him to clip her with it. He changed tactics and snatched at her weapon. She pulled away and aimed a blow at his legs. He used his weapon to block her attack and pushed upwards to try and send her staff flying. She used the momentum of his push to add power to her attack on the side of his protected head.

Kylo Ren smirked unseen.

The trooper lashed out again, so Rey danced away from him. She was determined to win this match, but each of her continued attempts at strikes were either blocked or barely phased him. To make matters worse, she was not used to extended fighting. On Jakku, all you had to do most of the time was prove you were not going to take any shit for the fights to be over. But this man was a trained warrior she was up against, a living machine that would not yield until he was ordered to or he was dead. She was already growing tired, but she would not back down.

Kylo Ren was impressed she had been able to hold onto her weapon against the strikes of a trooper. Once again he found himself drawn to her determination, her strength. He wanted to see how far she would and could go.

She was losing her ground. They had been sparring for twenty minutes and her fingers burned from her gorilla grip on her staff. With each blow her fingers screamed. She was not going to last much longer at this rate. She made a miscalculation and missed her mark. She watched in horror as time seemed to slow as his weapon came arching down towards the crown of her head. She felt herself willing the trooper’s weapon to stop. He grunted as his sword hit an invisible force. She sucked in a breath and willed him away from her.

She had to stifle a laugh as the trooper moved back a few feet without leaving the ground. She had used the force, she had felt it. Her determination was renewed and she charged the Stormtrooper. He dodged her and swung at her legs, hitting her in the back of the knees. She yelped as she fell backwards onto the floor. She saw stars as her head hit the ground. She felt the weight of a knee on her stomach as the trooper pinned her.

“Stop.” Kylo Ren said authoritatively. “You have fought well my apprentice. Stand”

Rey felt the weight lift off her and she pulled herself to her feet using her staff for support. Every one of her muscles protested as she collected herself. She glanced over at the trooper, who stood at attention awaiting his next orders.

“Take your positions. You shall begin again.” Kylo Ren ordered. “Use the pain you feel to give yourself more power.”

Rey held out her staff once more, ready to attack.

“Begin”  
This time she moved first. Their weapons clashed more violently than before. She felt herself pushing back on his weapon with the force each time their weapons met. This time neither got in any solid hits on the other. She pushed out with her weapon and used the motion as a conduit for her powers. He did move backwards, his boots never leaving the ground, but it was not very far away. She was becoming more daring with the force but it was not enough. Kylo Ren could not allow his master to find out she was so kind hearted. He was going to have to find a way to harden her heart somehow.

She pushed the burning of her muscles out of her mind, but she was losing her second wind. The trooper’s blows were wearing her down. She found herself making more mistakes as they fought. She nearly swore as she watched the sword slip past her attempt to block. His weapon smacked her in the face.

Her eyes watered as she backed away, needed to get distance from the trooper so she could collect herself. She felt warm wet blood drip down her face. She could not tell if her nose was broken, but it did hurt, as did her forehead. She was no stranger to blood and injuries. She fully intended to just wipe the blood away with her sleeve and continue to fight.

“Enough.” Kylo Ren ordered as he moved across the room.

His hand hovered in front of her face before she could even process what was happening. She stared at his masked face confused as the pain dulled. They stood there for what seemed like forever before he turned and stalked away. Rey felt her face burn for a different reason than injury. 

“Dismissed.” He said as he left the room, Rey staring after him.

“We better leave.” The storm-trooper said after letting Rey stare at the door for a little while. “When you’ve served on The Finalizer as long as I have you know when a Kylo tantrum is coming.”

“Tantrum?” Rey crinkled her nose at him.

“He… He doesn’t handle failure well and you never know what will set him off.” The trooper shrugged.

Rey looked away. Had she failed? Had she disappointed him by getting hurt?

Why was she so afraid to disappoint him?


	4. What did i do wrong?

Kylo Ren had to return to his chamber. He had given into the light to heal her. The cut had been superficial, but he could not bare the sight of her injured. There was something wrong with him. He went straight to the one thing that could lead him back to his purpose.

 

“Please Grandfather.” He plead to the remains of Darth Vader’s helmet. “I need your guidence. I feel myself being pulled towards the light. Show me the way and nothing will stop me from finishing what you started.”

 

Rey had been pleasantly surprised to learn from FN-8341, the trooper she had sparred with, that there were other people in the wing she currently resided in. Everyone was just so very quiet. She began to get a little claustrophobic knowing she was so close to other people. Especially, while she was asleep. Never, had she been so thankful for a lock.

 

Rey did not need to be pressured by QT-314 to take a shower. She actually used soap to lift the smeared blood off her face. Once she had scrubbed sufficiently, she just stood under the stream of water and let the warmth unknot her muscles. She stayed in the stall until she water ration ended. She snaked her arm out of the shower and snatched a small black towel off the tiny shelf to pat down her skin. She undid the knot that she had tied in her hair days ago and ran her fingers through the damp tangles. She wrapped the towel around her head and squeezed as hard as she could.

 

Her fingers still hurt from her training, but she did get most of the water out. She wandered out into her room and gazed over the new clothes hanging from a rod in the once empty nook. She wondered if QT-314 had brought them all on its own. They had also brought her an additional blanket, having left her first blankets on the floor for her. She felt herself smiling at the consideration the droid was giving her.

 

She spread out one blanket over the other, giving her an extra layer of padding. She pulled the newest blanket over her body and laid down. She was to tired to worry about eating anything, and it was not like she was a stranger to going to sleep with an empty stomach.

 

She turned to her side and fiddled with a lock of hair as she let her mind wander. Her thoughts went to how her teacher had reacted. He had healed her, rather than tell her to use the pain to her advantage like with the muscle soreness. She had been fully ready to do just that before she was stopped. Before he took her pain away. She was so confused by him.

 

She closed her eyes and imagined his fingers brushing against her cheek and drawing her closer. Their lips met as his fingers trailed down her body, stopping at her hip. Her head rested against his chest as he held her more tenderly than anyone had ever before. 

 

Kylo Ren had to temper his thoughts. He closed his eyes and all his mind was filled with images of a wild girl with so much potential brewing under the surface. He wanted her. Wanted to curl his fingers in her hair as he drunk of her lips. He wanted to drown in her scent. His mind raced with all the possibilities and he was afraid. She was dangerous to him, and that excited him in ways he had not imagined. He was only able to break away from his train of thought was a crisp knock on his chamber door.

 

“Sir, our supreme leader has requests your presence.” a uniformed drone said through the door.

 

Kylo Ren stomped out of his room.

 

Hux was also making his way to the hologram chamber. It was by far the largest room in the entire ship and dedicated solely to communicating with their leader. Both men did not look at each other as they walked into the room, their distaste for each other was almost a solid thing hanging between them. They stood at attention as the hologram filled the room.

 

“Have you located the droid?” Snoke asked, his long fingernails digging into the arms of his chair.

 

“The droid escaped.” Kylo Ren said getting straight to the point. “One of Hux’s so called ‘loyal soldiers’ betrayed us and freed the rebel pilot. They managed to locate it before we were.”

 

“Well, Kylo Ren has been distracted from his duties by a girl he found on the damned planet.” Hux spat back at Kylo Ren, glaring at him.

 

Kylo Ren did not look away from his master.

 

“A girl who is strong with the force. She could be useful in furthering your goals master. Please, allow me to continue to t-”

 

“Enough.” Snoke commanded. “Bring the girl to me. I will decide who and what will be useful to The First Order.”

 

Hux almost sneered as he lifted a hand to motion for a trooper to fetch Rey.

 

“You two are acting like children.” He scowled. “Now we must scour the galaxy for the rebellion before they find the last Jedi. You will both be punished for this.”

 

Rey had almost fallen asleep when someone began to pound on her door. She scrambled to her feet before padding barefoot to the door. She blinked at the armored figure standing in her doorway.

 

“Our Leader has summoned you.” The Stormtrooper said flatly. “I am here to escort you.”

 

Rey hesitated before nodding and grabbing her boots. She shoved her feet into them and quickly tied them. Her hair was still damp and she hadn’t bothered to belt her tunic. It was more fitted than her previous tunic, but it still billowed around her tiny frame making her look shapeless. She nervously chewed her lip as she followed the trooper. He stopped and turned his back to a door even grander than the one that separated the control room from the hallway.

 

“This is where I leave you.” He said “Good luck kid.”

 

Rey took a deep breath to settle her nerves before entering the room. She almost had a heart attack. The man sitting in the center of the room was the largest person she had ever seen in all of her life. He was like one hundred Unkars smashed together and wearing a black sheet. She moved closer to the platform he sat on as her heart hammered in her chest. She was kind of afraid he was going to try and eat her.

 

“You… You wished to see me sir?” She asked in a small voice; cursing her body’s betrayal in her mind.

 

Snoke regarded her before motioning her forward with a single finger. She moved cautiously until she was standing between Kylo Ren and General Hux. She kept her head down as she fussed with her fingers. Hux had been glaring at her the entire time since she had arrived. Rey dared a glance at Kylo Ren before returning her eyes to the floor. He looked very upset to her, even if she could not see his face.

 

Kylo Ren had not moved his head to look away from his master, but he could feel her by his side. He curled his fingers into fists to control his urges to comfort her, to touch her. To curl his fingers around hers.

 

“So,” Snoke said mulling over his words. “This is the girl who has been distracting Kylo Ren.”

 

“I’m sorry.” Rey said not looking up, but wondering how she could possibly be a distraction.

 

“You were correct about her Kylo Ren.” Snoke almost cooed, sending a sickening feeling through Rey's gut. “She is strong, I can feel it from here. You may keep her. But, should she fail, she will be disposed of. General Hux, I expect you to reinforce the conditioning of each of your soldiers. Fail me again and I will not continue to be merciful to either of you.”

 

The hologram shut off making Rey flinch in surprise. She felt silly for not realizing she had been talking to a hologram; then again she had never seen one so large or solid. She sighed when her mind caught up with her eyes.

 

Both men turned to leave without comment. Rey scrambled after them, having no idea what she was supposed to do after one of these little meetings.She held her tongue as she followed after them, both of them filled with loathing for the other. The corridor split in two and Rey did not hesitate to follow after Kylo Ren as they each went a different direction. She had no idea where they were going, but she felt it was better to just follow him than ask questions. Her life was just a touch on the line now.

He wordlessly lead her back to the level she lived on. She inferred this meant she was free to go back to her room and sleep in her blanket nest. She was more sure than ever he was irate with her so she just went back to her room to hide from her shame.

 

He could not bring himself to look at her while under Snoke’s gaze. If he had, he was afraid of what he might do. He had managed a quick glance out of the corner of his eye; she was deliciously unkempt. He had had to bite the inside of his cheek and clench his fists to keep focused. He had been relieved when Snoke had spared her for the time being. But, now her success was more important than ever.

 

He knew that Snoke could easily see into his mind. Snoke knew the feelings growing within Kylo Ren, and he feared Snoke would eventually turn this against him. He needed to think, but he was unable. She had followed him out of the room, and he could feel her unease. Could feel she was not afraid of dying by Snoke’s hand. Fear of death is strong in everyone, but her fear of it was not at the forefront of her mind, it was fear of failing. Not just failing, no. Failing him. She wanted to make him proud. Wanted to prove she was worthy of not being thrown away. 

 

Wanted the hurt of her loneliness to be dulled.

 

Just like he did.


	5. Boys are stupid

Rey had not slept well. She had been plagued with nightmares of being left on Jakku, Unkar holding her back from running after the ship as it flew away. She did not know what she had done to make her family leave her behind on the wretched planet all by herself. She had sat up most of the night wrapped in a blanket and stared at the blank white wall. She felt like the living dead when QT-314 came in to retrieve her early in the morning. The droid whistled at her.

 

“Bad night for sleeping.” She said with a weak smile as she moved to stand.

 

QT-314 whistled and chirped for her to sit her butt down. She needed food and it was going to be right back with something for her to eat and she had better eat it. Rey laughed, an honest happy laugh as she obeyed. She wondered if her teacher would be upset with her that she was late, but how much more trouble could she get herself into?

 

QT-314 was back in a flash with an off white lumpy paste resting on its head. Rey took the hot bowl in her hands and stirred it with the spoon that had been sticking out. It smelled like something she had once had in a far off memory. She put a spoonful in her mouth and felt like something was missing. 

 

She could not put into words what it was, but she had vague memories of a woman stroking her hair as she ate the gooey substance. Of the woman pulling Rey’s hair into the three buns as she hummed a happy and warm song. Of a man praising her for finishing everything in her bowl like a big girl. Of him scooping her up and tossing her lightly in the air, her giggling as he caught her and hugged her tight. Of a few years later, him telling her she had to be brave for him. That he would come back for her when it was safe.

 

She blinked away tears as she shoveled her food into her mouth. She was not going to let herself cry. She needed to be strong. She needed to be a good student, she needed to learn the ways of the force. QT-314 chirped and moved closer to Rey. She threw up a hand to stop the droid.

 

“I’m fine.” She said softly, trying to keep her voice from breaking. “I just need a minute”. 

 

QT-314 scanned her and chirped as softly as a being with no control over its volume settings could in an attempt to offer comfort. Rey took a deep breath to collect herself, she had to be strong. She had to show her teacher that fact. She finished her oatmeal and set the empty bowl on QT’s head.

 

“It’s ok.” She said more to herself than QT. “I’m going to be ok.”

 

She stood and smoothed down her tunic before she belted it. Her hair was a mess so she just pulled it into a high ponytail after yanking out most of the tangles. She took one last deep breath before she left her room. She marched all the way to the training room straight to her staff. She turned on her heel to face her opponent, instantly annoyed that Kylo Ren had not showed up.

 

“Shall we begin?” She asked the stormtrooper standing at attention. 

 

“Yes Ma’am.” He said taking up his own weapon.

 

She took out her disappointment on him, giving the poor man no quarter. She did not bother to ask where he might be. It was not her place to do so. She just kept beating the trooper back with her staff like a wild woman. She felt as if she were on the edge of turning into a feral beast as she lashed out. Eventually, she floored the poor man and knocked his helmet off, sending it rolling across the floor.

 

The fear in his eyes is what brought her away from the edge. He looked way to young to be a soldier, possibly younger than she was. The armor seemed to make his head seem even smaller. They both were breathing heavily as she bent down to offer him her hand.

 

“Good fight.” She said as he took her hand.

 

“You have improved since yesterday.” He smirked  as she pulled him to his feet.

 

“You have to learn how to improve quickly when a fight makes the difference between starving or eating for the night.” She shrugged.

 

“I can see why Master Kylo chose you as his student.”He said with almost wide eyed glee. “No one wants to even fight his Knights of Ren.”

 

“He has knights named after him?” She asked crinkling her nose.

 

“Well, yeah.” He said getting excited. “He’s just that awesome. He was given his own elite squad of soldiers to command by Supreme Leader Snoke when he was only seventeen. He’s the best out of all of them”

 

“You're obviously a fan.” She chuckled. “Yesterday, you told me he was going to have a tantrum.”

 

“Well, it’s a stressful job.” The trooper said rubbing the back of his neck. “A lot is expected of him, so he expects a lot from us.”

 

“So I am a disappointment,” She said looking away and tightened her grip on her staff.

 

“I, uh, wouldn’t say tha-”

 

“FN-8341, who authorized you to remove your helmet?” A female stormtrooper barked as she marched in.

 

“Sorry Ma’am.” 8341 said standing at attention at once. “My helmet was knocked off in my match with Miss Rey, Ma’am.”

 

Captain Phasma looked Rey up and down. Rey was beginning to think she was the stortest person on the entire ship.

 

“So you are Kylo Ren’s new student.” She said. “Please, allow me the pleasure of testing your skills myself.”

 

“Certainly.” Rey said with a curt nod.

 

FN-8341 backed away to fetch his helmet as Phasma set her blaster on the rack and selected a blade. With one hand she unhooked the blood red cape and rested it on the rack over her weapon. The sword seemed weightless in her hands as she pointed it at Rey while in a fencer's pose. Rey found herself smiling at the new challenge Phasma presented.

 

She in fact did have fun as she fought Phasma. She couldn’t tell if 8341 had been pulling his punches or if Phasma was just that much better. Rey had much respect for this woman. Rey was getting no hits in while Phasma got plenty. Every hit Rey took was with the flat of Phasma’s blade to lessen the impact. Rey was going to be covered in bruises in a few hours.

 

“You are very skilled.” Phasma said. “It is a shame you are Kylo Ren’s student, you would have made an excellent stormtrooper.”

 

“Thank you.” Rey said between pants.

 

“Come FN-8341,” Phasma said collecting her cape and live weapon. “We are being summoned to the hanger. It was a pleasure meeting you Ma’am.”

 

“Pleasure.” Rey said as Phasma gave her a small bow.

 

Rey watched both stormtroopers walk away before she turned to examine the room better. She wandered over to a door that had been peaking her curiosity for days. She opened the door and was met with training equipment. She pawed through the items just to get a sense of what she could work with when she came across a weighted ball. She carried it out of the closet and started to toss it from one hand to the other. She turned towards the wall and began to toss the ball in the air.

 

“Ordinary, no moving, no laughing.” She began to sing as she tossed the ball.

 

It was a game she used to play when she first arrived on the desert planet. She used to play it with the doll she had made as it was much safer than trying to catch a wrench. She managed to get through five rounds of the game when someone coughed behind her to get her attention. Rey turned and stared over her shoulder at the man in a dark uniform. He stared back at her, visible disgust at her childishness clear on his face.

 

“You have been summoned.” He nearly sneered.

 

“By, whom?” She asked, her heart fluttering at the thought of it being her teacher.

 

“General Hux.” He said annoyed.

 

“Why?” She asked, hiding her disappointment.

 

“It is not my place to ask.”

 

“Then, no.” She said turning back to her ball.

 

“NO?” He squeaked. “What do you mean no?”

 

“I am Kylo Ren’s student. Unless he is the one summoning me, I am not leaving this room until I am good and ready.” She snapped.

 

“I don’t think you understand-”

 

“If you or your General have a problem with me, you may take it up with my master.”

 

The man turned red and stormed out of the room. Rey was to grumpy to enjoy her game. She had no intention to speak with a man her teacher hated. She already felt she was on thin ice with Kylo Ren, she feared talking with Hux would only make things worse. Besides, hux had that air about him that reminded her of the ass of a sandworm.

 

She went back to the closet to put the ball away and find something else to occupy her time. She has no idea why there were so many ropes with very small weights on the ends hanging in the closet.

 

“GIRL!” Hux shouted as he stomped into the room.

 

Rey’s annoyance only grew at the sound of his voice. She stepped out of the closet empty handed to glare at the red-head.

 

“Yes?” She almost growled.

 

“You will come when you are called.” He spat. “How dare you make me come all the way down here.”

 

“I didn’t make you do anything.” She rolled her eyes. “You came here of your own free will.”

 

“Know your place.”

 

“As far as I am concerned, my place, is under Kylo Ren’s command. You have no power over me.”

 

“You-”

 

“What do you want?”

 

“I am prepared to make you an offer.” Hux said after regaining his composure. “Purposely fail, and I will ensure your life. I will send you to a First Order controlled planet of your choosing and you can live a normal life. Refuse me… Well, I can, and will, make life very difficult for you.”

 

Rey stared at him like he had eight heads.

 

“No.” She said, anger welling in her. “There is nothing you can possibly do that would inconvenience me. I came here with nothing. There is nothing you can use against me. Any challenge you throw at me I will overcome, so bring it on.”

 

Rey stormed past him, fighting the urge to break his nose with her fist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you know how hard it was not to write "My place is under Kylo Ren." DO YOU?


	6. I just want to help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of talking in this chapter.

Rey had been so angry, she had gone through the wrong door. Now she was just kind of wandering around the other side of the ship. 

 

She watched the woman take the panel off the wall and begin to pull wires aside.

 

“What are you doing?” She asked the woman.

 

The woman nearly jumped at the sound of Rey’s voice. The woman looked her up and down quickly before turning back to her work.

 

“Replacing a faulty fuse.” She said. “Then I need to replace the gyro drive.”

 

“Won’t you need to replace the Shol clip as well?” Rey asked crouching down, having moved closer.

 

“The clip is in workable condition.” The maintenance tech said looking at her impressed.

 

“Are you going to repair the drive after you replace it?” Rey asked getting a little excited.

 

“Unfortunately, we don’t have time or the manpower to spare on repairing it.” The woman frowned.

 

“I could do it.” Rey beamed. “If you don’t mind that is.”

 

“You sure honey?” She asked Rey. “It’s awful time consuming.”

 

“I’ve got to keep my hands busy somehow.” Rey said as she watched the drive being replaced.

 

“You know your way to the maintenance bay?”   
  


“No. I haven’t really gotten to see much of the ship.”

 

“Well, if you follow me, I can show you.”

 

“That would be wonderful!” Rey smiled. “I’m Rey.”

 

“Call me Jonesy.”

 

Jonesy and Rey walked down the hall after Jonesy had replaced the panel. Rey held in her grummble as they walked into yet another elevator, this one being larger than the others. She felt her stomach drop as they descended down farther than Rey had ever gone before. Jonesy motioned for Rey to keep up as they walked through a new maze of corridors, every once in awhile Jonesy looked down at a device hanging from her orange vest.

 

Rey’s eyes lit up at the sight of all the tools hanging from the walls, each on in it’s own place out lined in orange. It was a scavengers dream come true. She was like a little kid let loose in a toy and candy store combo. She selected the tools she would need and set them down on one of the several work tables in the center of the room. She methodically took the gyro drive apart and tinkered with it. She enjoyed working with gyro drives, you never knew what you would find when you opened one.

 

“Hey Jonesy, glad I caught you. Another fuse went out in sector 8F. You mind getting it?” Someone asked behind Rey. “Who’s the new girl?”

 

“Names Rey.” Jonesy said. “I found her up in the Stormtrooper’s living quarters. She volunteered to fix the faulty gyro drive. You should have seen her face when I said she could. Oh, it was damn precious. I’ll go fix the fuse, keep an eye on her for me would you?”

 

“Hello.” Rey said over her shoulder, flushing from being called precious.

 

“Where did you learn to work on one of these?” The spindly man asked her as he looked over her shoulder.

 

“Self-taught.” Rey said. “The scrap dealers paid more for working parts on Jakku.”

 

“Oh, did you get picked up from the planet we left a few days ago?” He asked.

 

“I suppose.” Rey shrugged. “There are a lot of fallen ships littering the surface. I spent most of my time scavenging for parts good enough to sell. I learned quite a bit through trial and error.”

 

“Well, when you’re done with that, we have a huge pile of parts that need attention if your interested.” He said pointing past her. “You’re welcome to come and help out anytime. Hell, we could use a hand every now and then.”

 

“I’d have to ask my teacher.” She said. “If he approves then I would love to come back.”

 

“Teacher?”

 

“Kylo Ren.” She said.

 

“How’s that going?” He asked her grimly.

 

“I have no idea to be honest.” She admitted. “I have no idea what is expected of me. Where should I put this?”

 

She held up the finished drive. He took it and turned the drive over in his hands. He walked away from the table to one of the many rows of shelves lined with boxes. He opened a box and set the drive in.

 

“We sort working parts in these bins.” He said. “Busted ones are in the way back. I’m Bob, and I hope you do come back to help. You are very good at this.”

 

“Oh, thank you.” Rey said, unsure how to handle complement. 

 

“Boy has no chill.” Jonesy huffed as she walked back into the room. “First hint of bad news and he destroys a perfectly good console. I just heard from Larry, Kylo Ren just trashed the elevator by the hangers.”

 

“Does his team need help?” Bob asked.

 

“Nah,” Jonesy waved the thought away. “He was just griping. They got it.”

 

“How often does that happen?” Rey asked. “I mean, I heard from a stormtrooper he has ‘tantrums’.”

 

“Often enough.” Jonsey said. “Our ship has the highest turn over of parts in all of the First Order.”

 

“So, is that why you don’t have time to fix parts?”

 

“Yeah. His sword cuts through our steel like a hot knife through butter. We’re just lucky he hasn’t crippled any critical systems yet.”

 

Rey held her tongue and  processed what she was hearing. Maybe he really was upset with her if he could not even bring himself to look at her. She felt like curling into herself and hiding away.

 

“You finished the drive already?” Jonesy asked her.

 

“Yeah.” Rey said not really looking at anything.

 

She only snapped out of her funk when she heard the familiar whistling and chirping of QT-314. The droid wheeled in and stopped in the doorway.

 

“Sorry, looks like QT has come to collect me.” Rey said standing up from her chair. “I’ll try to come back some other time. It was nice meeting you both.”

 

Rey walked over to the droid and placed a hand on its flat head. QT had to wheel itself around to follow her. It whistled at her as they entered the elevator.

 

“Hmm? Oh, yeah I did have a good time.” She answered QT’s inquiry. “It was nice to get my hands a little dirty. I didn’t think I would miss working on machines, but here I am. So what does Kylo Ren want?”

 

QT chirped and Rey furrowed her brow.

 

“Wait, he actually talks to you. As in, more than just issue an order?” Rey asked.

 

QT chirped and Rey had to fight a giggle at the thought of him having an entire conversation with the droid. Not many knew droid speak unless they were raised around it. She wondered what kind of life he must have lived before joining the First Order.

 

He was standing in the corridor looking out the window she had previously found. All that could be seen out the large window were the trillions of points of light on the backdrop of black. She stood next to him, and he said nothing. She just wanted him to yell at her and get it over with.

 

“So, why do you know how to understand droid?” She asked, feeling reckless and wanting a reaction from him.

 

“I learned as a child.” He said after a moment of mulling the question over. “There was a particularly… Vocal R2 unit who often bothered the protocol droid who watched over me.”

 

“That must have been adorable.” She said, still trying to get a reaction.

 

“I hear General Hux made you an offer to fail on purpose.” He said changing the subject.

 

“He did.” She said.

 

“You refused.” He said.

 

“I had no choice.” She said softly.

 

“You had every choice in the world.”   
  


She had to look down at her feet as her face turned red.

 

“That level of loyalty is hard to find.” He added.

 

“So you’re not angry with me for getting hurt during training?” She asked him, not looking up.

 

“No. Injury is to be expected during training.” He said. “Once you start training with a saber you will be more prone to them, in fact. I was… Angry with myself.”

 

“Why?” She asked looking up at him.

 

“That is a topic for another time.” He said clearing his throat.

 

“Oh,” She said looking back out the window. “I happened across a maintenance worker today. I was wondering if I might be able to go down to the maintenance bay in my free time and help them out. I miss working with my hands.”

 

“I’ll allow it.” He said after a brief pause.

 

“Thank you!” Rey beamed.

 

“Come, we have more training to be completed today.” He said turning away from the window.

 

Rey followed him back into the training room.

 

“Captain Phasma has shared with me that you sparred today.” He said picking up a practice sword. “She commended your skills. It is a rare feat for her to offer a compliment; I wish to see your improvement with my own eyes. Prepare your weapon.”

 

She did and he lunged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jonesy may or may nor be based off of Leslie Jones from SNL....


	7. Don't let scavengers near the mess hall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to post. The depression fairy bitch slapped me wicked hard.

“I’m fine.” Rey said shaking out her arm. “You just hit a bruise. Phasma hits very hard.”

 

She gripped her staff again and charged Kylo Ren. He blocked her and attempted to twist her staff out of her hands. She pulled away and swung again, he caught her staff with his blade again. His reach was ridiculous and she noticed he kept making large sweeping motions. She moved to strike, and at the last moment jabbed at him in the stomach. He was unfazed and moved to knock her weapon away.

 

She stepped away and blocked a downward swing. She pushed him off with a grunt and moved to push him away with the force. He pushed back himself, just enough to make her lose her footing. She caught herself with her staff and he swiped at her again. She let gravity take her to the ground. She landed on her back, missing his strike by millimeters. She jabbed again, grazing him in the side.

 

“You are using only your eyes.” He said. “Use all of your senses. Reach out with the force and predict my next move.”

 

He offered her his hand. She took it without hesitation and he pulled her to her feet. He had not used the force to assist him in lifting her. This was a show of physical strength. She wondered how he was so strong, considering he looked like a string bean. Rey collected herself and brushed the dirt off her tunic.

 

“How am I supposed to do that?” She asked him.

 

“Close your eyes.” He said softly. “Feel the energy of all that surrounds you. That is the Force, it surrounds us and binds us all. Through it you can manipulate your environment. Some can even use the force to see glimpses of the future, with it you will be able to predict my next move.”

 

Rey closed her eyes and held up her staff. She could hear him circling around her and she had t resist the urge to open her eyes. She moved her staff on instinct and his weapon hit hers. She shifted her footing and swung out. To an outsider it was like watching the two dance across the training room. It was the most movement she had ever done while fighting. She went to take a step back, but the back of her foot caught on something and she fell backwards.

 

Her eyes shot open in her panic. Kylo Ren caught her wrist and pulled her towards him. She stumbled forward into his chest. She had no idea someone’s chest could be so firm. She stepped away from him, her face burning.

 

“Thank you.” She murmured.

 

“You are improving in leaps and bounds.” He breathed.

 

She continued to amaze him. She had only just started to reach out with the force and she could already sense his movements. It had taken him months to do that when he first started to train. He was looking forward to seeing how her powers would expand as he trained her.

 

“Again.” He said. “This time try and keep your surroundings in mind.”

 

Rey barely had time to nod in response before their weapons clashed again. She had to defend herself more this time. His attacks were more fierce than ever. She knew he had to go on the offensive, but was having trouble keeping track of everything around her. She took a step back and shifted to the side to avoid a jab and swing out. He grunted as she hit him in the chest as he caught her in the side. She was inches away from him and could smell the smoke on him from his raid earlier. Time seemed to stand still as her breath caught in her chest.

 

“Very good.” Kylo Ren said, unaffected by the slowed time. “Shall we go again?”

 

“Y-yes.” She nodded, pulling her staff away and blocking his next attack.

 

Her side ached from where he had hit her, but she powered through. He hit even harder than Phasma. Then again, he had more momentum from all the twirling he did while fighting. She was going to have to take more risks of she was going to want to hold her own. She had to trust in herself.

 

She almost matched his movements perfectly. Kylo Ren noted she was taking more risks in her attacks than before. He found himself grinning again. She was one of the most amazing woman he had ever met.

 

_“ Kylo Ren, I wish to speak with you.”_ The raspy voice of his master echoed in his mind.

 

Kylo Ren held up a hand and Rey stopped her assault. Rey opened her eyes and furrowed her brows at him confused.

 

“I am sorry.” He said. “I am being summoned by Lord Snoke. We can continue your lessons later. You may go assist the maintenance technicians while I am away. I shall send the droid to fetch you once I have concluded my meeting.”

 

“Yes sir.” Rey said happily.

 

She put her weapon back on the rack and almost ran out of the room, excited. Kylo Ren watched her leave, allowing himself to smile after her before he steeled himself. He wondered what Snoke wanted to talk to him about. 

* * *

 “Glad your back.” Jonesy said smirking. ‘I heard your training under Kylo Ren, you must be brave.”

 

“He offered to teach me.” Rey shrugged. “I didn’t see the point in turning down his offer.”

 

“Maybe you can teach him some impulse control.”

 

“I doubt I could teach him much of anything.” She almost laughed as she walked over to the broken gadgets bin. She filled her arms with items before claiming one of the tables so she could work. She might not know the names of all the components but she could still put everything back in order with relative ease. Jonesy and Bob were both in and out of the maintenance bay, those that she did not now she introduced herself to. They were friendly, but distracted by their duties. Rey was just happy to have the chance to talk, even if briefly

 

Jonesy wandered in a while later and pondered Rey.

 

“When’s the last time you ate?” She asked narrowing her eyes.

 

“This morning… Why?” Rey asked.

 

“Come on, let’s get some lunch.” Jonesy motioned for Rey to follow.

 

Rey left her table and wandered after her. Rey was beginning to feel the need to somehow find a map of the ship. Every day she was being shown more and more of the ship. She felt like one day she was going to get utterly lost.

 

When they arrived at the mess hall Rey’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets at the sight of so much food being slopped onto trays. She followed Jonesy's lead and grabbed one of the metal trays. Unidentifiable foods were dropped on her tray by a mixture of droids and angry looking older women. Rey was baffled by the amount of food being given away. It was more than she had ever dreamed of having at one time.

 

“They give this away?” She asked Jonesy as they walked to a table.

 

“Three times a day.” Jonesy laughed.

 

They chatted while they ate and it was the most genuine conversation she had ever had. By the time they were done eating Rey felt like she was going to explode. She had never eaten so much in all of her life. She had cleaned her plate, not wanting to waste food. It baffled her to see so many just throwing food away untouched. She only returned to the maintenance bay to put her tools away and the pieces she had completed in the proper bins. She excused herself, wanting to curl up in her blanket nest and sleep. QT rolled in about an hour later to drag her to Kylo Ren for more training. Seeing her on the floor it chirped at her concerned.

 

“I ate too much.” She admitted. “I had no idea that was even a possibility.”

 

QT chirped and whistled for her to sleep it off, that the feeling would pass when she woke. Rey smiled at the droids concern. She buried her face deeper in her pillows and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.

 

Once QT was a safe distance away it rocketed down the corridors at neck breaking speed. It went straight for the training room and began to whistle and chirp loudly and quickly at the man dressed in black.

 

Not since childhood had Kylo Ren been verbally accosted by a droid.

 

“Stop.” He ordered calmly. “You are making no sense. What do you mean ‘how could I let her go to the mess hall’? I was under the impression you were the one delivering all her meals.”

 

He had known she ate very little on Jakku, both in frequency and quantity. Having kept that in mind he had ordered for the droid to slowly build up the amount of food she was given each day until eventually she was having three meals a day. Her body, as it was now, could not handle the amount of food the mess hall provided for each meal. He felt fear build in his stomach.

 

“Is she well?” He asked, his jaw clenching under his helmet.

 

QT informed him she was sleeping off the excess food and she would be fine. He had nodded slowly before walking out of the room towards Rey. He stood outside her door and reached out with the force. Her mind was already a drift in a sea of dreams, her blood heavy from eating. He had not felt this helpless in so long. He was growing to care for her, and that was a dangerous thing. Dangerous, but not unpleasant.


End file.
